COLLEGE PREDISPOSITION AND THE DILEMMA OF BEING BLACK AND FEMALE IN HIGH SCHOOL

This chapter explores factors often considered predictors of college predisposition for young Black female high school students to gain an understanding of young Black women in high school and their views on the totality of their educational experience. College predisposition or predetermination denotes the time at which a student begins an active college search, taking concrete steps toward college enrollment. In the higher education literature, the disparity between the educational aspirations of young African Americans and college predisposition is documented and is significant. Finally, college predisposition is measured by student responses to the question of their plans after high school. Together these factors suggest that young Black women have a sense of focus when considering their high school curriculum. While the percentage difference is small, young Black women are more likely to report that their parents are often engaged in their high school educational careers.